Slate reads: "Russian troops turning the Turkish flank," in World War 1. They are seen massed on a snowy plain in the Caucasus. Then, led by mounted officers, they march along a muddy path in the snow. Next they are seen moving in a very long single file column, through snow covered landscape. Large numbers of Turkish prisoners of war move past the camera in a town and march along a snowy path. Occasional armed Russian soldiers are seen by the prisoners. Russian troops place supplies in a sledge. They are seen transporting soldiers and supplies in bullock carts and sleds drawn by cattle. They employ Bactrian camels that are able to withstand the extreme cold. They move a herd of camels through a village and up a steep mountain road. (World War i; World War 1; WWI; WW1)
American soldiers pass by on a street in St Lo, France in World War II. Wrecked buildings on the street. A U.S. Army soldier processes an incoming German prisoner. A German prisoner (young looking boy soldier) with his hands up on the street. Smoke arises from wrecked house. Soldiers walk through rubble on the street. Destroyed houses and street in the area. Final brief scene shows an American soldier as he lights a demolition fuse.
German forces take Minsk and advance to the Soviet Union early in their World War 2 Operation Barbarossa. German soldiers dive for cover as a shell explodes, during their house-to-house operations. One waves unarmed surrendering Soviet soldiers forward. Several other surrendering Soviet soldiers run along a dirt roadside. Some are also seen at a German field red cross tent where German medical corpsmen are standing. Soldiers hit the dirt as more shells strike nearby. Closeups of some Soviet prisoners. German Ju 87 Dive bombers are seen high above, and then closeup as they dive. Glimpse of German pilot in cockpit. Bombs striking ground. Dive bombers pulling out. Bombs exploding. Camera focuses on bomb falling from a Ju 87, and tracks it until it explodes on the ground. A German artillery spotter watches as a gun crew fires a 10.5cm le FH 18 howitzer. The shell explodes with white smoke and debris flies into the air. Glimpse of German soldiers watching as a gunner fires a 2cm Flak 38 antiaircraft gun at zero elevation. More artillery firing. A farm building is completely destroyed by an exploding heavy artillery shell. German troops walk past burning armor. Knocked out and burning tanks and other vehicles line the sides of the road to Minsk. But it is now open and a line of German troops with horse-drawn supply wagons moves ahead. Some mounted officers proceed as well. Trucks and armor follow, including a StuG III self-propelled gun armed with a short-barreled 75-mm gun. Scenes of total destruction. German long guns firing in flat lands as they continue advance to the Dnieper River. German 17 Cm Kanone 18 guns firing toward Stalin Line fortifications. Huge explosions seen as shells explode in distance. A fire raging in distance. More German artillery firing. German infantry advancing after the artillery barrages. Obstacles at Soviet lines of defense that German infantry must breach or bypass. German infantry entering a village. One throws a hand grenade and they both drop to the ground as it explodes on a small building. German soldier firing a light machine gun. Sounds of heavy artillery and views of battle damaged buildings and fortifications. Captured Soviet prisoners walk with hands above their heads. Closeups of some. Aerial view of a destroyed fort on the Stalin line and destroyed buildings all around it.
Film starts showing diagrams of German army artillery firing plan supporting Battle of France during World War 2. German army officers are seen viewing maps and going over plans. Animated map shows British and French forces in the West and German break-through army poised to the East of the Maginot Line. The animated German break-through forces advance behind artillery. View of a German gun crew firing a 21cm heavy howitzer, and its shells exploding in the distance. Various views of German gun crews loading and firing heavy artillery and the shells striking with large explosions. German infantry soldiers seen moving through area filled with obstacle defenses. A line of German Panzer I tanks moving along a road between the obstacles. More views of German artillery firing. Machine gun firing and fires breaking out at night, and German tanks moving over fires burning on the ground. Machine fun tracer rounds seen in the dark. Many buildings being consumed by flames. Surrendered French soldiers being searched by German soldiers. A large open air compound containing many French prisoners of war taken by the German forces. Various views of the prisoners in the compound.
As a U.S. marine watches, Japanese prisoners carry bodies of dead marines on stretchers, covered with tarps, and place them in a row on the sand, following the battle of Saipan in World War 2. Scene shifts to Japanese prisoners with shovels standing in newly dug graves. Others lower one of the stretchers into a grave, as armed U.S. marines oversee the process.
Slate reads: "The Union Castle Steamship, 'Galician' from Capetown to Southhampton, was on August 15th, when off Teneriffe, signalled to stop by the German Cruiser, 'Kaiser Wilhelm Der Grosse.' Next slate reads: "The 'Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse,' had been transformed from a liner, whilst at sea, six heavy guns and 24 machine guns being mounted." A brief view from the "Galician" of the German four-stacker auxiliary cruiser, "Kaiser Wilhelm Der Grosse." The next slate reads: "Bearing down on the 'Galician' at a speed of 24 knots, the cruiser signalled to the liner to 'Heave To.' The marconi operator sent out the 'S.O.S.' distress signal and the cruiser ordered 'Cease communication or we will sink you." Two officers photographed on deck of the "Galician." View of the Cruiser near the "Galician." Boat carrying German boarding party arrives at the ship and they climb the ladder to board. A German sailor seen aloft at the "Galician's" mast, disabling her marconi wireless antenna. A torn white ensign (missing a canton) flies from the mast. Captain and officers of the "Galician" pose for photographer (marconi operator). Slate lists British military personnel aboard, who were taken as prisoners of war. One of them is photographed. The German boarding party leaves the ship taking their prisoners with them. The German Cruiser seen departing. Civilian passengers and crew aboard the "Galician," pose celebrating their relative good fortune.
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